We lasted an hour

[Flowerpot26]

Ugh! Please help it's giving me a headache,
My little one turned 2 last month, normally a cheeky confident boy, he was at a childminder from when he was 10 months for a year one day a week but that stopped in March, due to covid.
I just signed him up for preschool as he's need the interaction mainly just been with me at home for the last 3 months, but it was awful, my happy confident boy was in bits, it's the second time this week, the first session he lasted 45 mins till he realised I'd gone and they called me back and today I couldnt even get out the door, they wouldnt of been able to calm him down and to be fair wasn't fair on them or the other kids, my issue is there only open till the summer should I just leave it till Sept, is it worth it,
I'm also due with second in Sept so don't want everything to overwhelme him, also the added worry is that this is not the preschool I want him at long term due to location but the closer one isn't open yet and not sure how many they can take in Sept so he might not even get a place then, I'm not working from home, just want him to socialise. I know it would naturally be a difficult time but I think the isloation has really put him back.

[jannier]

I wouldn't put him through it for 4 weeks as he may just get used to it then stop. It's a shame you didn't go back to your cm as this would have been a gentle start....and if she does her job there should be no need for preschool most of mine stay with me to reception and all have been very settled made friends easily and been ahead in the class.

[MoreRainbowsPlease]

I would leave it till september. I had similar with my ds. I put him in pre-school at 2.9 months(which was in the April) as that was the earliest they could go back then. He was only going once a week to start off with and by the 3rd week I couldn't even get him in the door. So I left it till the September when he went 5 times a week for the mornings. He still took a few weeks to settle in, but it was no where near as bad as the first attempt, and then he loved it. He obviously wasn't ready the first time. Also I was heavily pregnant in the September and the pre-school were great at helping him get used to the changes having a sibling would cause.

[Flowerpot26]

Hi, that was on the first session, I stayed 30 mins and then told him. I was going but I'll be back but was playing so didn't see me leave, but today he knew as soon as we walked in that it would happen and it was awful.
Can't go back to the cm as she has no space now. I think. I'm. Going to end up leaving it till Sept.

[SandieCheeks]

Definitely say goodbye to him, he probably panicked when he realised you'd disappeared and that will have made him more anxious the next time.

Can he not go back to the childminder?

[Littlefish]

When you say that he lasted 45 minutes before he realised you'd gone, do you mean that you left without telling him you were going?

It's really important that you say goodbye to him, and let him know that you will be back very soon. Don't draw it out with a big ceremony, but make sure that he knows you're going, even if he gets a little upset initially.